Air cleaner



M. S. FIELD July 1, 1930.

AIR CLEANER Filed June 26, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l M. S. FIELD AIR CLEANER July 1, 1930.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 26,

Mrsfiall 61W 5% at Patented July 1, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MARSHALL S. FIELD, OF DAVENPORT, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF FORTY PER cmrr TO CHARLES H. SUITER AND TWENTY PER GENT TO JOHNG. MOHL, BOTH OF DAVEN- PORT, IOWA Application filed Tune 26,

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in air cleaners generally, although the invention is more specifically intended for use in connection with internal I combustion engines.

Amongstthe several objects of the invention are to provide a device for removing foreign matter from the atmospheric air. prior to said air entering the carbureter; to pro- 1 vide an air cleaner attachment for internal combustion engines which may be connected to the crank case of the engine and to the air inlet of the carburetor whereby air will be caused, by the suction of the carbureter, to

circulate through the crank case and thereby maintain the engine at a cooler temperature, and also eliminate condensation in the crank case; to provide for the air circulation through the crank case for carrying 03 the chemical gases which are injurious to the engine, and to direct said chemical gases from the crank case through the carburetor to the explosive cylinders where they are burned and whereby both increased power and increased gasoline mileage is obtained.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a cleaning device which restricts the suction from the crank case and thereb prevents the withdrawal of any of the 011 therefrom, in combination with means for admitting a varied quantity of atmospheric air to the carbureter whereby a sufiicient'quantity of air can be sup lied thereto.

With these an other objects in view which will more fully appear the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by following the description, the appended claims, and the several views illustrated in the accompanyin drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of an internal combustion engine equipped with my invention,

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the air cleaning device,

Figure 3 is a longitudinally sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Flgure 2, and

Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are transverse sectional views taken on the corresponding lines of Figure 3. Like numerals designate corresponding ,ing the usual crank case B equipped with the ings 30-30, t e wall 10 of cup -10 being pro- AIR CLEANER 1926. Serial 170. 118,699.

parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, I have shown an internal combustion engine A havusual air inlet or breather pipe 5 and a carbureter' C and intake manifold D associated with the engine in the usual manner, said carbureter including an air inlet 6.

My improved air cleaning device E includes a sheet metal drum which is formed from a plurality of nested cups or cup'shaped sections which respectively include walls 7, 8 9, 10, 11" and 12, and peripheral flanges 7*, 8", 9", 10", 11", and 12 connected to said walls. Each flange is formed with an offset 13 at its outer edge to form a seat 14 to receive the adjacent cup. The outer end of the cup 7 is closed by a wall 15. Thus, the cups form a series of adjacent air compartments for a purpose as will hereinafter appear. In order to secure these cups in assembled relation, I have employed a longitudinally extending bolt 16 which passes through aligned openings 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 eccentrically formed in the walls of the cups. The cup 7 is formed with a rearwardly extending air inlet nipple 24 to which one end of a flexible piping 25 is connected, the other end 26 of said piping fitting within an opening which 80 communicates with the crank case at a point farthest removed from the air inlet or breather pipe 5. The wall 12" of the opposite cup 12 is'provided with an air outlet nipple 27 which is connected to the inlet 6 of the carburetor G. The walls 7 8, 9, 10" and 11, of the cups 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 respectively are formed with staggered openings for causing air to be bafiled and to gprtake of a spiral assage during its travel t rou h the drum. 90 To this end, the wall 7" of cup is provided with an opening 28, the wall 8 of cup 8 is provided with a pair of openings 29-29, the wall 9 of cu 9 being provided with openvided with o enings 31-31, and the wall 11 of cup 11 ing provided with openings 32-32. It will be noticed that the openings 28, 29, 30 31' and 32 are arranged in different radial planes, and that no two of the openings are arranged in longitudinal alinement and consequently the air is forced to move in a spiral path through the successive cups or sections.

By reason of the bolt 16 being eccentrically positioned, all of the cups will be necessarily obliged to partake of their proper positions in order to be assembled.

The diameter of the air inlet nipple 24, as well as the diameter of the air inlet pipe 25, is larger than the diameter of the single opening 28 in the wall '2' of the cup or section 7. By providing a single opening in the wall 7 and having this opening of an area smaller than the diameter of the pipe 25 or the inlet 24, I have prevented the suction from withdrawing any of the oil from the crank case. The opening 28 being restricted in its area is too small to permit the desired quantity of air to be directed to the carbureter. Consequently, I have provided a variable inlet in the drum E for atmospheric air. Preferably this inlet consists of three openings 33, 34, and 35 which are respectively formed in the peripheral wall 8 of the section 8. Associated with this section is a sleeve valve 36 having a plurality of openings 37, 38 and 39 adapted to respectively register with the openings 33, 34 and 35. A set screw 40 is carried by the sleeve 36 for engagement with the peripheral wall 8 of the section 8 so as to secure the valve in any desired position of adjustment.

In operation, air passes into the air inlet or breather pipe 5 of the crank case, through said crank case to the )ipe connection 25, and thence through the air cleaner drum E, to the carbureter C. This air as it asses through the drum is caused by the ba es to partake of a spiral passage and oil vapors from within the crank case are carried b the air into the cleaning drum. These oi vapors are caused to be filmed onto the walls or baflles 8 9*, 10 and 11*, the spiral direction of movement of the air causing the oil vapors to be spread fairly uniformly over the surfaces of the baffles. As a result of the oil films on the baflles, all foreign matters carried into the drum by the air which is received from the crank case and also from the atmosphere, will be collected by said oil films on the baflles and thereby prevented from being transmitted to the carbureter. The amount of foreign matter collected from the air and deposited on the successive baflles will be successively reduced in amount so that the air, when it reaches the carbureter, will be clean. It will-be noted that the air as it passes through the crank case will be heated; that the air thus circulating through the crank case will maintain the engine at a cooler temperature; that. by reason of air circulating through the crank case, any water contained in the crank case oil will be prevented from freezing and consequently condensation in the crank case will be eliminated; that chemical gases will be carried from the crank case through the carbureter to the explosive cylinders, and consequently both increased power and increased gasoline mileage will be obtained, and that the heated air from the crank case will be mixed in the drum with atmospheric air whereby the carbureter will be always supplied with warm clean air.

It is of course to be understood that the details of structure and arrangements of parts may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim: 7

1. In an air cleaner, the combination with a drum formed of a plurality of inter-engaging cup-shaped sections and having at one end an inlet adapted for attachment to the crank case of an internal combustion engine and having at its other end an outlet adapted for connection with the carburetor thereof, a bafile within the drum and having an opening of less area than the area of said inlet, an atmos heric air inlet formed in one of the sections etween the baflle and said outlet, and a sleeve valve rotatably mounted on said section for cooperation with the opening thereof.

2. In air cleaning means, a drum formed of a plurality of cup-shaped sections assembled end-to-end and interfitting in a manner for centering the sections in coaxial alignment and providing spaced exterior annular flanges, means to secure the sections together, said drum having an inlet and an outlet and spaced bafile walls and an air inlet intermediate of the inlet and outlet, and a movable sleeve valve on the drum in association with the air inlet and guided by a spaced pair of the annular flanges.

3. In air cleaning means, a drum formed of a plurality of cup-shaped sections assembled end-to-end and interfitting in a manner for centering the sections in coaxial align ment and providing spaced exterior annular flanges, means to secure the sections together, said drum having an inlet and an outlet and spaced bafile walls and an air inlet intermediate of the inlet and outlet, a movable sleeve valve on the drum in association with the air inlet and guided by a spaced pair of the annular flanges, and means to secure the sleeve valve at adjusted positions.

4. In an air cleaner, the combination with a drum formed of a plurality of cup-shaped sections and having at one end an inlet adapt edfor attachment to the crank case of an internal combustion engine and having at its other end an outlet adapted for connection with the carbureter thereof, a baflle within the drum and having an opening of less area than the area of said inlet, and an atmospheric air inlet formed in one of the sections between the baffle and said outlet.

5. In an air cleaner, thecombination with a drum formed of a plurality of annular flanged cup-shaped sections and having a lateral inlet and an axial outlet for attachment with the crank case of an internal combustion engine and the carbureter thereof respectively, a plurality of bafiles disposed within the drum and respectively formed with openings arranged to cause the air to partake of a spiral travel during its passage through the drum, and an atmospheric air inlet formed in the drum between one of the bafiles and the outlet.

6. In an air cleaner, the combination with adrum formed of a plurality of interengaging annular flanged cup-shaped sections and having a lateral inlet and an axial outlet for attachment with the crank case of an internal combustion engine and the carburetor thereof respectively, a plurality of bafiles disposed and having at its other endan outlet adapted for connection with the carbureter thereof, a bafiie within the drum and havingan opening therein, an atmospheric air inlet formed in one of the sections between the bafile and said outlet, and a sleeve valve rotatabl mounted on said section for cooperation with the opening thereof.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my I signature.

MARSHALL S. FIELD. 

